Having children increases your expenses DRAMATICALLY! From the moment you give birth to your child, you have to buy diapers, wet wipes, baby supplies, and all the fancy strollers, cradles, and car seats that a newborn needs. Your bills will start to rise, and it only gets more expensive with every new baby you have.

That’s why it’s so important that you find ways to cut costs, even with your new baby at home. Here are some things you can do:

Nurse if possible — Not all mothers can produce enough milk to feed their babies, and that’s when formula is a MUST. However, if your body does produce milk, it’s better to nurse the child. It can save you over $1,000 in that first year!

Don’t buy breastfeeding clothes -- Breastfeeding bras and shirts may seem to make your life easier, but what happens if you only breastfeed for a month or two? Stick with your normal clothing, and just find the items that make it as easy as possible to feed your child.

Borrow a pump -- If you are going to pump breast milk into your child’s bottle, you may want to ask around to find one to borrow. A brand new breast pump can run you close to $200, whereas borrowing a friend’s pump will only cost you about $50 for the plastic attachments needed to remain sanitary.

Buy baby clothes as needed -- Your baby may grow more quickly than you expect, and clothes that fit him/her one month may not fit the next. Don’t buy clothing far in advance, no matter how adorable that little snowsuit or bathing suit may be. Buy the little one clothes as needed.

Consider unisex clothing -- Just because this is your first baby boy or girl, it doesn’t mean that your next child/children will all be the same gender. If you go all out on the pink, what happens when your next one is a boy? Buy a lot of clothing in unisex colors so you can reuse the clothing for Child #2.

Buy value packs -- Stores like Wal-Mart and Target offer individual baby clothing items, but they also sell “all in one” packs that come with all the baby clothes you need. These value packs are MUCH cheaper, and you can get everything you need at a great price.

Buy white -- If your baby spits up–and you know he/she WILL–it’s expensive to have to de-stain colored clothing. Buying white clothes, on the other hand, will make the de-staining much cheaper, as you can simply throw the clothing into bleach water.

Consider the shoes -- Does your baby REALLY need that third pair of booties, no matter how cute they are? You can buy a single pair of soft booties to keep baby’s feet warm when you’re out and about, and let the little one walk around barefoot inside the house–or with just a pair of socks.

Buy in bulk -- For things like diapers, wet wipes, and other disposable items, it’s best to buy in bulk. Hit up Costco or Sam’s Club to find MASSIVE packages with 100 diapers or so, and you’ll save yourself a small fortune!

Have an emergency bag -- If you don’t want to rush around last minute to try and find baby items when traveling, it’s always best to have an emergency baby bag handy in your car. Make sure it has everything you need, and ONLY use it when you are desperate. Always restock it when you arrive home!